Fabio Aru challenges Chris Froome to ride 2018 Giro d'Italia

“I’ve heard that he’s thinking about riding the Giro. Froome is a great champion and a tough nut. I hope he’s at the Giro because it would give the race more prestige and I like a big show down” said Nibali

In a recent interview with an Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport Aru said, “I’m putting everything on the Giro” but couldn't confirm before UAE Team Emirates officially announce their 2018 season goals.

“I’ve heard that he’s thinking about riding the Giro . Froome is a great champion and a tough nut. I hope he’s at the Giro because it would give the race more prestige and I like the big show down” said Nibali.

Speculation is growing that Chris Froome will tackle both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in 2018, and next season could provide the ideal conditions for him to do it. Froome proved that he is capable of winning back-to-back Grand Tours, winning the Tour de France in July for a fourth time and then claiming the Vuelta a España victory in September 2017.

The Giro route is to be officially announced next week, the 2018 race’s confirmed start in Jerusalem would look attractive to Froome: a 10.1km time trial followed by two relatively flat stages. The Giro’s organiser RCS Sport would surely love to see a showdown between 2017 champion Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb), Froome and Aru.

However, there's no official word that Froome is contemplating riding the 2018 Giro d'Italia. He may instead focus his efforts in winning five Tour de France titles.

Fabio Aru is attending the route presentation in Milan next Wednesday and seems certain to line-up for the start of the 2018 Giro d’Italia in Israel on May 4.

“I can’t say if I’ll ride the Giro. I’m doing the Tour of Abu Dhabi, but I don’t know if that’ll be my season debut,” Aru said. “I’ll ride Tirreno-Adriatico, while there’s some doubts between Milan-San Remo and the Volta a Catalunya. The Tour of the Alps is important because a stage will be on the World Championships course, which is a big goal. I’d also like to make my debut at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Vuelta is a must considering the Worlds."

The full route of the 2018 Giro d'Italia is unveiled this Wednesday 29th November in Milan. The presentation of Giro d’Italia 2018 will be on 29th November starting from 5 p.m. CET.

The route of the 101st edition, starting on 4 May 2018 from Israel, will be unveiled in the presence of the last Giro d’Italia winner, Tom Dumoulin, the two times Giro winner Vincenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru (third in 2014 and second in 2015), and Alberto Contador (winner of the Corsa Rosa in 2008 and 2015), as well as representatives of the teams, sponsors, media and other institutions.